“Lake Wanaka Trust has been formed”

In response to the issues of declining water quality and the difficulty of making progress towards future improvements, this new trust was launched by the Guardians of Lake Wanaka and will be known as the Lake Wanaka Trust. The formation and registration of the Trust as a registered charity with the Charities Commission have been completed. The initial Trustees are, Jeff Donaldson, Maggie Lawton, Calum MacLeod and Don Robertson.

The elected chairman, former Guardian Russell McGeorge, said today, “the purpose of the trust includes working with community groups and other organisations to safeguard and enhance the health and water quality of Lake Wanaka, and the wider catchment. To achieve this, the Trust will seek and distribute funds to raise community awareness, support the development of management plans, and encourage research and monitoring of the lake and catchment”.

He also stated that “working through schools, community education groups and tertiary education institutions, the Trust will encourage and facilitate educational projects and programmes to foster better understanding and more involvement in freshwater management and the science it depends on”.

One of the first initiatives supported by the Lake Wanaka Trust is the proposal to establish an Alpine Lakes Research and Education Centre (ALREC) on the Fish and Game site in Wanaka. The Trust will support the management of the South Island alpine lakes, rivers and other freshwater ecosystems and help safeguard their long-term health through an agreement between the Trust, Fish and Game, and the University of Otago. These initiatives will be developed in conjunction with Otago Regional Council, the Ministry for Environment, Department of Conservation, Land Information New Zealand and Queenstown Lakes District Council and Federated Farmers. Involvement with freshwater researchers from other organisations such as NIWA, and the Cawthron Institute will also be encouraged.

The chairman said “the Trust is keen to talk to community groups and individuals wishing to become members of the Trust”.